Progress Report on Rose Window July 2018

Church of the Blessed Sacrament Progress Report on Rose Window July 2018

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

As repair work continues on the exterior of the church building, I wanted to update you on another portion of the work currently underway, the restoration of the Rose Window. Our Rose Window, by Clement Heaton, is a Gothic stone tracery rose in a design configuration loosely based on the 13th century upper “giant” west rose window in Reims Cathedral, France. It depicts twelve angels playing musical instruments with a Chalice and Host in the center. Considered exceptionally large, the Reims Rose is 40’ wide, only 8’ in diameter wider than the 32’ diameter Blessed Sacrament Rose.

It is important to note that the Rose window restoration really has two portions, the exterior safety glass and the interior stained-glass panels. The exterior glass will be fully replaced in August/September, with the reinstallation of the restored stained-glass immediately to follow. As you will see in the photos below, the window itself was in great need of repair and restoration. Sunlites Stained Glass, based out of Rockaway Beach, NY, began its examination and removal of the stained-glass panels in the winter of 2018. All 249 stained-glass panels are now in the Sunlites workshop under restoration and 75% of the in-studio work is now complete. Please note, too, that while we are not now involved with the restoration of the Nave/Side stained-glass windows, there were 40 pieces of broken exterior safety glass on those windows and 26 minor cracks. Those broken pieces were fully replaced and the cracks sealed by Sunlites in June as part of the waterproofing of the building.

Thank you to everyone who is helping make this work possible- please contact the Business Office if you are interested in helping!

Father Duffell Rose Window In-Studio Work Progress

Description Number of Panels Percent Complete Removed from stone frame all 249 100% and transported to shop Photo documented all 249 100% Rebars removed all 100% Rebars restored, painted, all 100% numbered Rebar wires removed from all 100% panels for replacement Lead borders repaired 200 85% Leads scraped of old all 100% putties, both sides of panels, prepped for cementing Broken pieces replaced 68 n/a with new kiln-fired replacement pieces Flattened and re-soldered 185 75% Cleaned 112 45% Select panels solution- 80 tbd soaked Panels cemented, buffed, 112 45% and finished New rebar wires attached last in-shop step

Above: Deteriorated pieces of the Rose Window with dirt accumulation, bowed glass, and cracked joints; the glass is cleaned, putty removed and replaced under each lead joint, and each piece re-flattened… Below: Father Duffell examines the work in progress; Craftsmen at Sunlites replacing putty under lead joints, Patrick Clark showing portions of cleaned panels; cleaned panels racked and ready to be reinstalled; old vs. restored panels; each panel is tracked using a number system and a detail card…